Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Medicinal Trees, Redbud and Cypress

[00:00:00] Hey y'all, welcome to this week's show. I'm gonna try to get through a couple of medicinal trees today and the first one is really appropriate because it's in bloom right now. It's red bud.

[00:00:30] It's kind of dintensis. It's actually somewhat medicinal as well, but really important for many reasons. One, it's l'Guminaus. It's a nitrogen fixing tree. You can plant it in your garden and let your tomatoes climb or your cucumbers or whatever and it will fertilize them.

[00:00:48] But the main thing I like it for is the buds, the blossoms are delicious. They taste like sweet garden peas. This time of year I'm out harvesting ramps and red bud blossoms like crazy.

[00:01:01] But let's look a little, it's a beautiful tree too. It's got those bright magenta colored flowers that even grow on the trunk. It really is a very different kind of tree than most of you will see where the flowers on the ends of the stems.

[00:01:17] It's all over the branches and like I said, even the trunk sometime. Flowers are nutritious and of course, edible. This was a really important plant for our ranch visitors who didn't have a lot of fresh vegetables through the winter.

[00:01:36] So early spring, really the end of winter when red buds search to bloom, they'd have been gathered in those flowers and eating them to get the vitamins they needed.

[00:01:46] So medicinal, like I said there's not a lot of medicinal information on this, but the bark is a stringent. The inner bark is said to be the most potent.

[00:01:59] The bark is used for fevers and diarrhea. It's also been used in folk medicine for cough and congestion. Beyond that, bees love it.

[00:02:10] And actually there's a really old legend that you may have heard of. This is so appropriate of course because this is the Easter weekend.

[00:02:20] It's believed that Judas, after betraying Jesus, hanged himself from a red bud tree and you may actually know the tree by the folk name Judas tree because that's what it's very, that's what it's called. It was called traditionally.

[00:02:34] You know, I don't know. The limbs of a red bud are not very strong but you remember in the Bible there are two legends actually, a story, I should say about Judas one that he hanged himself and one that he fell from a height and is, and burst his guts came out.

[00:02:49] Could have very well been. He did hang himself from a tree. The limb broke and fell to the ground and you know he burst open.

[00:02:58] Red buds don't grow that tall though so maybe it was one up on a hill cliff. I don't know. That you know, it's not impossible that that was the same tree but there's no real archaeological evidence as to that being the tree just as there's no legend that says the dogwood was the tree the cross was made out of.

[00:03:20] Probably not but these are two trees that come into flower about the same time at Easter and so you can totally understand how these, you know, these legends kind of build up around them. And I think, you know, I love folklore to me that's an endearing story anyway you look at it.

[00:03:39] Well the dogwood would. Yeah, you know nothing nothing endearing about hanging oneself but anyone you know what I'm saying I love folklore but resources of the Southern Pills and Forest says that red bud or Judas tree Kirk is canadensis grew abundantly in the swamps around Charleston around the time of the Civil War.

[00:04:02] Pretty much goes it doesn't go quite to my elevation I have to go down the mountain so it's you know I'm it's Easter weekend I'm visiting family in Pinehurst and Pinehurst North Carolina. And they're everywhere beautiful bright red trees and you know I just had the coolest experience.

[00:04:20] You know, I think y'all that aren't from the South don't really understand what a South is all about the way it's portrayed on television is nothing like the real South.

[00:04:30] I mean, I grew up in an area where white folks were the minority. I mean it was majority black and long be Indian and then the rest of the time on the mountain where there were more I guess Cherokee and Katalba Indians then they were black folk very few black people in the mountains.

[00:04:49] No one knows why but it tends to be a largely scots Irish area never had any racial issues honestly.

[00:04:59] Had black friends growing up you know old black ladies that would invite me into their house and give me cookies I mean you know it was just never an issue like they act like it is on television.

[00:05:10] So I got the grocery store about an hour ago and there's this little old black lady up there probably about 90 years old.

[00:05:20] I mean she was really up in years and I said hey how you do it you know I was passing by her and I'm doing great I'm going to see the king and I looked at her and I'm thinking this is a really old lady I hope she's okay you know I didn't know exactly what I said you're going to church I said yeah I'm going to see King Jesus and I want you to come with me.

[00:05:40] I mean it's just as sweet as could be you know and I told her well I actually got a little chest cold right now.

[00:05:47] I've been dealing with like a little bit of flu I think probably for the past week or so but it's really settled you know in my lungs and I said I'm not even sure if I'm going to be able to make it for church on Easter and boy I mean she just started praying at the top of her lungs that I would be healed and I mean I don't I'm not going to do that.

[00:06:10] I never heard of anyone saying stuff like that happens up north or in the Midwest but man I mean that's actually a common fairly common occurrence in the south.

[00:06:20] I've been in that store same grocery store in Pinehurst North Carolina between Pinehurst and Aberdeen and it's a food line and at least five times spoken to someone white black maybe one be Indian but mostly whites and blacks around here.

[00:06:40] And they just start praying for me I mean just like out of the clear blue it is like so nice is what it is you know if you maybe start talking politics someone you can get into an argument but there is nobody around here and anywhere really in North Carolina at least outside of Charlotte and Chapel Hill in the really liberal cities where someone isn't just totally open about their religion.

[00:07:07] They're faith and I mean mostly Christian obviously but I was actually in that same store probably six months ago yeah it was the fall and you know there's a big military area and there's some like translators and such that have come here from you know Kauai, Neffganistan all that and there was a Muslim fella in there and I can't remember I ask him oh I ask him a question there's a greeting that they usually do

[00:07:36] and I couldn't remember how the second word how it was pronounced and I said if you don't mind I said I'm not Muslim but you know known some Muslim folks and this is the way they greet each other am I pronouncing this right.

[00:07:49] And he just I mean he was obviously a translator he walked me through like you know the entire like Arabic history of this language you know and just a nice guy I mean people are just so open about their faith in the South it's wonderful it really is.

[00:08:05] And I hope at some point as much as I do not want to encourage a lot of Yankees to move to North Carolina we got enough already trust me especially in Bainers I do hope y'all get to visit at some point and actually experience the real culture not the stuff you see on TV and not the stuff you're going to encounter in large cities.

[00:08:29] You know fat meals called fiat nom for a reason it's always had a very high crime rate a lot of people live there that aren't from there whatsoever yeah a lot of Muslims actually a lot of Asians and most of them are great folks I mean yeah I mean some really fantastic you know Chinese oh especially Vietnamese I got a great Vietnamese community so I mean I don't have anything against anybody from the outside.

[00:08:53] It's when some money moves to the South from the North to make the South like the North you know the area they left the area they got away from because of high taxes and crime suddenly they start telling people what to do in the South that don't fly trust me we don't like that we don't like that at all but we're pretty welcoming folks I mean to everybody really.

[00:09:15] And you know I'm gonna be doing a plant walk in Pinehurst probably around April 15 somewhere a weekend once or the other of that date whether depending so email me juxtapherl.com if you want more information you want to know what date it is and maybe you'd like to come join us people coming from all over.

[00:09:35] I mean there's some emails from people who are really interested in it and this is the sand hills a little later in the spring I'm gonna do one of the mountains you know so I keep keep you updated on that as well mountain culture and sand hills cultures actually very similar both were very heavily settled by the Scotts Irish it's just sand hills you got a lot more black folk and in the mountains very few actually

[00:10:00] and the Indian tribes are different I mean you know down here you have the Lumbies it's 50,000 members of the Lumbie tribes you're gonna be running into Lums one way or the other up on the mountain the Cherokee have mostly gravitated were Cherokee North Carolina and you know you may know several people from the Katalba tribe and not even know that they're Indian they have American.

[00:10:28] I mean they just totally blend right here and it's it's more of a homogenous culture I guess I would say in the mountains as opposed to the sand hills and such but anyway what's up back to the red bud tree which is just gorgeous grow it everywhere around here and I had big old handful the blossoms just couple days ago.

[00:10:45] I've been out in the mountains you know before I got down here this week harvesting ramps like crazy so if you want to know about ramps listen to my southern Appalachian herbs podcast my absolute favorite wild edible but back to the tree.

[00:10:59] So resources filled in forest says that the blossoms are used in salads yes it's exactly the way I use them and but were said to be a remedy for urinary complaints and obstructions of the liver and spleen to coxure the bark is very stringent often combined red bud blossoms with for Scythia blossoms for Scythia is it you know bright yellow it's blue and right now as well.

[00:11:27] The white like stem end of for Scythia is very bitter so pluck that off and then you can combine the two in salads you can throw them in with some butter olive oil and salt and cook them I mean it's really really delicious and one is like really pretty garnishes if you want to impress a lady you know bake some fish or something or some chicken you know do it like maybe a lemon pepper chicken I can go for that right now

[00:11:55] and for Scythia and red bone blossoms maybe a few violet flowers you know over the top and that always goes over very well but Peterson field guide for eastern central medicinal plants says the inner bark is highly stringent a stringent and obscure medicinal agent was once used for diarrhea and dysentery they mean it.

[00:12:18] It's very poorly worded they just mean it was used for diarrhea and dysentery but we don't know much about it these days because it's falling out of use therefore it's become obscure but apparently it was it was also a folk cancer remedy for leukemia I have absolutely no more information on that if you're interested I you know I never recommend any herbs for cancer it's like you know I draw the line I don't want to get people's hopes up.

[00:12:46] Who knows but if you have an interest in herbs to treat leukemia you may want to do some more research on that see if there's any documentation in medical journals and they say the flowers are edible they're actually quite delicious.

[00:13:01] Now the other one I want to do today very short entry on this is so hard for nails it is C H A M A E C Y P A R I S Chamay Cyprus and the second word is T H Y O I D E S Fio D's.

[00:13:26] So Chamay Cyprus Thio D's is the closest I'm going to get to it it's called Atlantic white cedar which is crazy easier to say and I'm just going to stick with Atlantic white cedar there's only one variety in my region it grows down the coastal swamps.

[00:13:46] It's actually fairly common the swamps up into the sand hills well I shouldn't say common I've seen it you know I mean I knew it growing up in the swampy area of the eastern United States my grandparents farm Bladen County it was there I mean I recognize this tree when I saw it it's called white cedar but it's actually a Cyprus.

[00:14:14] It's got a lot of Cyprus in the swamp tons of Cyprus in the swamp and although it was very likely used modestly by Native Americans it would be like the walk them on the lumber in the area and the Chakora I haven't been to find anything in Native American herbal medicine.

[00:14:35] They made they didn't write it down what can I say but it has been used modestly in other regions plants for a future list white white Atlantic white cedar also called white Cyprus by the way I'm not going to try to pronounce the Latin name again.

[00:14:53] It says a decoction of the leaves has been used as an herbal steam for treating headaches and backaches. A poultice made from the crushed leaves and bark has been applied to the head treat headaches it is also it also states that a decoction of the sap from the Lawson Cyprus that's a closely related Cyprus is a powerful diuretic and of the Newt Cus Cyprus.

[00:15:19] The plant has been used in sweat baths for treating rivetism and arthritis and infusion of the branch tips has been used as a wash for sores and swelling. A poultice of the crushed tea has been applied to sores.

[00:15:33] The soft bark has been used as a cover for poultices so that's all I've got on Atlantic white cedar or chamois Cyprus thioities. If you find out anything more about this treat please let me know.

[00:15:51] I'm going to wrap it up there as I said my lungs are kind of a mess right now between the pollen and whatever this virus is. The pollen is so heavy here okay look sand hills in North Carolina pollen is insane the pine pollen is like literally laying a quarter inch thick on the ground and on the car and everything and the dogwoods and a zell user starting so I'm not even sure if I can do that.

[00:16:15] I'm not even sure if I've got a cold or if it's just like full blown allergies but I am going to wrap it up. I just wanted to mention that by April 15th the pollen would have run its course that cycle will have ended. It'll actually be pretty darn nice in the spring in this area so I hope you will be able to join me.

[00:16:42] Remember all this information about medicinal trees comes from my book.

[00:16:46] The medicinal trees of the American southeast it's actually got a long title probably longer than I should have given it look up an herbal sky to the medicinal trees in the southeast available on Amazon or directly from me as a PDF but if you want the print copy you get it from Amazon anyway I'll have a great week I hope you have a wonderful blessed Easter.

[00:17:09] I hope you get to spend time with your family. I hope absolutely hope you go to church of your choice and remember I know my entire audience is not Christian. I don't mean to offend anyone but I am a Christian and I'm a Catholic actually and very outspoken about that and I think what do you think?

[00:17:35] I think it was Pope John Paul II was fond of saying Christians are Easter people. You know we celebrate Christmas the birth of Christ we you know go to church on Sundays and all that the most important date in the entire history of time was Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave.

[00:17:58] We are Easter people born anew and through a Christ who took on all the penalty of every sin ever committed in the past and the present in the future under the mosaic law was crucified and died for those sins the penalty for mortal sin is death after all.

[00:18:22] And then rose again and every person whose baptized becomes part of the body of Christ we are actually share in the divinity of Christ are more so in heaven than we do on earth but we as part of the body of Christ because time does not exist outside of our lives.

[00:18:47] We were crucified with Christ and have risen with Christ and are new people born to new lives and saints in the making and this is.

[00:19:02] This is this is the day we should celebrate more than any other day in the entire year it's more important than our birthdays or Christmas or for the July I mean it is we are Easter people so just you know enjoy it you know have a big Easter ham and some good spring greens and you know give a lot of candy to children.

[00:19:28] If somebody is lonely or sick and you can visit them or brighten their day do it.

[00:19:37] I hope is that we are going to spend eternity together in heaven in constant joy and peace and celebration Easter Sunday is a day where we should each strive to bring heaven to earth experience that that brotherhood that fellowship that family right here right now anyway you all have a good one I will talk to you next time.

[00:20:06] The information this podcast is not intended to diagnose your treat you disease or condition nothing I say or right has been evaluated approved by the FDA I'm not a doctor the US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and there is no governing body regularly herbals therefore I'm really just a guy who says I'm not offering any advice I don't even claim anything I write or say is accurate or true I can tell you what earth has been traditionally used for I can tell you my own experience and if I believe in other words.

[00:20:36] I can't tell you what I tell you to say if you use an herb anyone recommends you are treating yourself you take full responsibility for your health humans are individuals and no two identical what works for me may not work for you you may have an allergy sensitivity and underlying condition that no one else even shares and you don't even know about be careful with your health

[00:21:00] by continuing to list my podcast you read my blog you read it be responsive yourself your own research maker own choices and not blame me for anything ever.